Ryan Berger’s Reviews > Bad Behavior: Stories > Status Update

"Trying to be" - Decided to give Gaitskill one more chance on a sick day and I'm glad I did. This was very good, hit close to home for something I've been feeling often in this first year living in NYC.

"Connection" - Every story in this collection makes me so bored, so annoyed, so ready to form A Take, and then there's something mildly interesting I find that pokes through and prevents me from DNFing the whole thing (Lethem has sung the praises of Gaitskill multiple times and I just don't see why). As mid as it gets.

"An Affair, Edited" - A story, I guess, about weak women and how people in college seem annoying the moment you leave.

Every story continues to be at my personal Mendoza Line for fiction

"A Romantic Weekend" - Exciting premise (two people who consider themselves masochists disappoint each other), but something still leaves me cold. Fascinating choice to allow both characters' internal monologues.

"Something Nice" - Reminded me, of all authors, of Chekhov. A lot of this collection so far has been about erotic/romantic fact vs fiction, this one brings it right to the foreground. Best yet but still eh

Hm. I have a take brewing.